While our daily routines may still be stuck in holiday mode, our minds are starting to turn to the dreaded back to school time… and most importantly how to tackle the mammoth task of getting the kiddos organised for a new school year (or term!). Whether you’ve got teeny tinies heading to preschool for the very first time (hold back those tears mama!) or old hands going back to secondary school, we’ve scouted around town to bring you the very best in our Ultimate Back to School Guide. From new school shoes and hair cuts, to school bags, lunch boxes and labels, it’s time to get organised mamas!

All the gear: bags, bottles, lunchboxes and more

If you’ve got preschoolers heading off into the world of “big school” for the first time then you definitely need to click on over to Kids Store Online to pick up their new backpacks. Their cute array of colourful animal-themed school bags (think hippos, giraffes, pandas, and penguins from covetable children’s brand, Skip Hop) are perfect for littlies as they’re big enough to hold the essentials without weighing them down.

School Bags Singapore features a wide array of… you guessed it – school bags! While the website is certainly lacking in aesthetic appeal, it is stuffed with every type of school bag your child or teen could ever want. From floral backpacks, to those covered with princesses or action-figures, as well as a handy range of colour block satchels, your child is bound to find the bag they want here.

If you’re looking for a backpack that will survive the whole school year (because let’s face it, not all kids take care of their belongings as well as we’d like) then ERGOKIDis the way to go mama. Their ergonomic school bags are made from high quality materials that’ll withstand the roughest of children, and come in a range of bold colours and designs. For a bag that screams personality, the ergobag is the one for junior — its framed support provides stylish comfort with plenty of space for all their knick knacks.

Jumping on the ergonomic bandwagon, Kid2Youth has a massive selection of school satchels for both kids and teens. Hailing from Germany, all of their backpacks promote good posture and provide strong spinal support… but we adore that they carry an array of designs, colours and patterns – you won’t get any complaints from your offspring here. Psst… teens aren’t forgotten either with their teen backpacks allowing big kids to carry a heavier load to school in simple, understated designs.

Are your kiddos too cool for school? We thought so. Cool kids require trendy rucksacks and that’s why we love the one-of-a-kind ergonomic backpacks from MyAwesomeBuddy. Taking out the top gong for product and industrial design these beauties ensure your child’s back is well supported (they can even be adjusted as they get older) with oodles of space for their school essentials. We particularly love that each bag comes with an integrated rain cover – ideal for Singapore’s rainy seasons!

If the hot weather has your little one’s lunch going bad before noon, the ‘Bento’ Lunch Bag from MyAwesomeBuddy(as above) will become your new go-to mama (it helps that it matches the above mentioned backpacks). Each lunch bag is lined with thick insulation keeping food warm or cool until it’s time to eat, letting your minis enjoy their lunch at just the right temperature.

Local fave Stuck on Youalso has a handy range of personalised lunchboxes, backpacks and library bags for pre- and primary school kids that’ll eliminate any confusion about whose lunch (or satchel) is whose!

It’s also worth zipping past baby megastore, Mother’s Work for back-to-school goodies, as they stock a range of little kids’ backpacks from brands like Skip Hop, Lou Harvey, LittleLife and Go Vinci, as well as Bento Lunch Boxes from über cool brand, Munchkin and a selection of BPA free drink bottles. Phew!

TANGSis another good pit stop if you’re on the hunt for sturdy drink bottles for bigger kids as they stock the well-known Sigg drink bottles, on top of their small range of lunchboxes and related paraphernalia.

And last but not least, Pupsik Studio also carries a handy selection of Skip Hop drink bottles perfect for preschoolers, as well as eco-friendly lunch solutions from Kids Konserve (say goodbye to bulky lunch boxes and hello to insulated lunch bags filled with snacks in super cute containers – ooo yeah!).

Stationery: pens, pencils, notebooks, and more

Deck your child’s new pencil case out with goodies from Aussie brand Smiggleand your kids may just end up the trendiest ones in class. This ridiculously popular stationery shop stocks tons of colourful goodies, like metallic gel pens, funky erasers (in shapes like cupcakes and footballs!) and eye-catching notebooks, as well as folders, files and even backpacks!

For the sweetest notebooks in town, kikki.Kis the place to be mama. While it might not be super friendly on the hip pocket, their range of stationery is… to put it bluntly … adorable. We love it so much we may even have decked out our own office with their cute-as-a-button pens and pencils!

Worth a look is Typo— especially their outlet store at Anchorpoint — for super affordable notebooks and pencils for kids who need lots of paper for writing (and doodling!).

When school’s going back and you need pens and paper in bulk without the huge price tag Millen Stationery Supplieris a fab place to shop. Perfect for all ages, their writing materials, art supplies and computer accessories will have your kids ready to start the school year super organised – and mama can even get their books laminated whilst she’s there. Winning!

Looking for reliable stationery that’ll survive the classroom? With a wide variety of paper products as well as a covetable range of craft tools, Orchard Stationeryhas your little lovelies covered for back-to-school writing supplies. And it doesn’t stop there either. Since everything is bought in bulk, you can pick up what you need at affordable prices… with online ordering available too. Woo hoo!

To get your teens through the rigors of the secondary school years, why not treat them to some gorgeous stationery from local fave, Woodwould. This stunning store is home to a plethora of beautiful journals, pretty planners and quirky labels and stickers. An afternoon spent here will ensure you come home with a treasure trove of wonderful one-of-a-kind essentials.

With a name like Stationery World, you’re sure to find everything your kiddies need for the new school term here. Best part is you can order everything you need online so you don’t have to face the hoards of parents also shopping for the new academic year!

Next time you’re at Tanglin Mall and you need to pick up a new glue stick, pair of scissors or notebook for your munchkins, definitely make your way to the third floor. Tango Mangohas a small range of affordable school supplies… also helps that you can browse the latest trash mags whilst you’re there!

And finally, Art Friend will become your new BFF mama. This art supplies store is heaving with pens, paper, glue sticks, colouring pencils and all manner of empty writing books… plus paints and other art supplies if you’ve got a budding artist on your hands.

Stomp those feet: new school shoes for all

If new treads are at the top of the to-do list, then the friendly folks at Boutique Nicole have you sorted for high quality leather school shoes for younger kids. Knowledgeable staff will measure your kiddos’ tootsies to ensure the perfect fit for growing feet.

Old faithful Clarksis also great for school shoes for boys and girls, with a decent selection of plain black loafers made from leather and other materials. It also helps that they’ve got quite a few locations across the island — making it a convenient choice for many.

We love Stride Rite for the fact that they measure both the width and length of your child’s foot — meaning no more squashed toes or shoes that are just too roomy. While their school shoes may be a tad on the expensive side, our kids have never worn out a pair of their shoes (we’re definitely a fan of the quality) as they really go the distance, so to speak.

Quick kids need quality running shoes for gym class, so we leave the job to the experts at places like Royal Sporting HouseorNew Balanceto supply the comfiest and most practical sports shoes for our children.

Stay organised: labels, labels and more labels

There’s nothingquite like sending your precious ones off to school only to have them come home with half their gear missing! Avoid the frustration of lost school stationery with labels from Stuck on You. Their personalised name stickers can be custom designed by colour, font and style, so your kids won’t have any excuse for losing anything ever again.

Child Label is another mama fave for stylish name labels — in English or Chinese! Choose your type of label (iron on or stick on), shape (rectangular or circular), colour, text and picture, and in a couple of weeks your brand new labels will be delivered to your door. Easy peasy!

Hailing from a land down under, Bright Star Kids also churn out funky name labels for kids with free shipping to Singapore. If you’ve got little ones starting school for the first time, it’s definitely worth ordering one of their value packs — it’ll ensure that everything is marked from top to toe.

Lastly, mama-approved label pros, Sticker Kidproduce name labels that are guaranteed to last for 10 years. Water resistant, dishwasher and washing machine safe, their custom name tags will pretty up all your child’s gear and ensure that what goes to school comes home too!

The final trim

Long term breaks often mean your child’s hair can get a bit wild and woolly. Not sure where to head to get their tresses trimmed? Peruse our Guide to Haircuts for Kids in Singaporeand book your kiddo in for that final hair cut before the first bell rings.

Congrats mama! You’ve filled those school bags to the brim! Now we think you deserve a reward, so check out our top pampering picks here and relax… until next term!

Sassy Mama is the go-to guide for modern mamas. We scour, sweat and drag strollers through the mosquito-filled jungle, just to bring you the latest news on what’s hot (literally!) in the world of parenting in Singapore…